Its highly legible dial, extremely resistant Oystersteel and waterproofness have made it the watch for the extremes.
24-HOUR BEZEL
RELIABILITY IN THE TOUGHEST CONDITIONS
The Explorer II is equipped with an additional 24-hour display; a dedicated hand circles the dial in 24 hours rather than the usual 12, pointing to a fixed bezel with 24 hour graduations. This function enables the wearer to distinguish the hours of the day from the hours of the night, an essential feature for those who venture into environments where darkness reigns supreme – such as in the depths of caves, or where the sun never sets – like the polar regions in summer.
WHITE DIAL
DISTINGUISHING DAY FROM NIGHT
The Explorer II features a date display, an additional orange 24-hour hand and a fixed bezel with 24-hour graduations, enabling day to be distinguished from night. It became the watch of choice for speleologists, volcanologists and polar explorers. Its hour markers and hands feature a highly-legible Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence.
OYSTERSTEEL
HIGHLY RESISTANT TO CORROSION
Rolex uses Oystersteel for its steel watch cases. Specially developed by the brand, Oystersteel belongs to the 904L steel family, alloys most commonly used in high-technology and in the aerospace and chemical industries, where maximum resistance to corrosion is essential. Oystersteel is extremely resistant, offers an exceptional finish once polished and maintains its beauty even in the harshest environments.
THE OYSTER BRACELET
ALCHEMY OF FORM AND FUNCTION
The Oyster bracelet is a perfect alchemy of form and function, aesthetics and technology, designed to be both robust and comfortable. It is equipped with an Oysterlock folding clasp, which prevents accidental opening and the Easylink comfort extension link, also exclusive to Rolex. This ingenious system allows the wearer to increase the bracelet length by approximately 5 mm, providing additional comfort in any circumstance.
THE CYCLOPS LENS
A MAGNIFYING LENS
The Cyclops lens is one of the most distinctive Rolex features, and one of the most recognizable. Named after the one-eyed giant of Greek mythology, the Cyclops lens magnifies the watch’s emblematic date display two and a half times for easy reading. Behind the Cyclops, as with every feature of a Rolex timepiece, lies a history of invention, research and development, and the endless search for perfection.
3285 MOVEMENT
SUPERLATIVE PERFORMANCE
The new calibre 3285, a new-generation movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. With 10 patent applications filed over the course of its development, this movement features a Chronergy escapement and a guaranteed power reserve of approximately 70 hours. Like all Rolex Perpetual movements, the 3285 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. The 3285 is equipped with a Parachrom hairspring, offering greater resistance to shocks and to temperature variations. Its architecture, in common with all Oyster watch movements, makes it singularly reliable.